Sgt. who was public face of Minneapolis police gets reassigned

A shakeup within the Minneapolis Police Department on Friday has pushed a police officer out of the spokesman role he's had for several years, leaving that task to civilian Cyndi Barrington.

Sgt. William Palmer, who was the public face of the department under former Chief Tim Dolan, will no longer work for the department's public information office, he announced in an email sent Friday evening to reporters. He didn't respond to questions about his reassignment.

The move leaves the MPD's public information office in the hands of Barrington, who has shared spokesperson duties with Palmer since she was hired earlier this year. It's Barrington's second tour of the spokesperson's gig. She was in that role 10 years ago for Chief Robert Olson. She resigned in 2003 when Mayor Rybak ordered that all police officials get permission from the city's communications officer before talking with reporters.

Barrington did not immediately respond to emailed questions about the future of the PIO office.

Palmer also oversaw public records requests. He indicated in his email that he will continue in that role until Nov. 17, when a replacement will be named.